Auto-Gyro
In The Man of Bronze, Doc Savage instructs Ham to take his auto-gyro to Washington, D.C. An auto-gyro is a type of light rotary-wing, similar to a helicopter. Unlike the helicopter, the auto-gyro’s rotors depend on aerodynamic forces to provide lift, rather than an engine driven rotors, while an engine driven propeller is used to thrust to the aircraft. The engine can either be a pusher or puller type of arrangement, just as with standard fixed-wing aircraft.This is a Kellett_KD-1 operated by Eastern Airlines is perhaps the type used by Doc Savage-leastwise according to Marvel Comics. The Kellett KD-1 was a 1930s American autogyro built by the Kellett Autogiro Company. It had the distinction of being the first practical rotary-wing aircraft used by the United States Army and inaugurated the first scheduled air-mail service using a rotary-wing aircraft. Development Using the experience gained in building Cierva autogyros under licence the Kellett Autogiro Company developed the KD-1 which was similar to the contemporary Cierva C.30. It had two open cockpits, a fixed tailwheel landing gear and was powered by a 225 hp (168 kW) Jacobs L-4 radial engine. After testing of the prototype a commercial variant designated the KD-1A was put into production. The KD-1A had a three-bladed rotor with folding blades and a number of minor detail improvements. A KD-1B which was a KD-1A with an enclosed cockpit for the pilot was operated by Eastern Airlines and inaugurated the first scheduled rotary-wing air-mail service on 6 July 1939. In 1935 the United States Army bought a KD-1 for evaluation and designated it the YG-1, a second aircraft followed which had additional radio equipment and was designated the YG-1A. These two aircraft were followed by a batch of seven designated YG-1B. In 1942 seven more were bought for use in the observation role as the XO-60. Six XO-60s were re-engined with 300 hp (224 kW) Jacobs R-915-3s and re-designated YO-60."ARMY AUTOGIRO" Popular Science, June 1944, photo of YO-60 One YG-1B was modified with a constant-speed rotor and was re-designated the YG-1C, it was later re-engined with the more powerful R-915 and re-designated again as the XR-2. The XR-2 was destroyed by rotor ground resonance problems and the evaluation was continued with another modified YG-1B designated the XR-3. Variants ;KD-1 :Prototype, one built ;KD-1A :Commercial variant with open cockpit and a Jacobs L-4 radial engine; three built. ;KD-1B :Commercial variant with enclosed cockpit; two built. ;YG-1 :United States Army designation for one KD-1A acquired for evaluation. ;YG-1A :One aircraft as YG-1 with the addition of radio equipment. ;YG-1B :Production aircraft for the United States Army; seven built. ;YG-1C :One YG-1B modified with a constant-speed rotor for evaluation, later designated the XR-2. right|thumb|A Kellett XO-60 ;XO-60 :Production aircraft for the United States Army with a Jacobs R-755 radial engine, seven built. ;YO-60 :Six XO-60s re-engined with a Jacob R-915-3 radial engine. ;XR-2 :The YG-1C re-designated after being re-engined with a Jacobs R-915-3 radial engine. ;XR-3 :One YG-1B modified to XR-2 standard for evaluation. ;Kayaba Ka-Go prototype :Prototype; it was an airframe which had repaired KD-1A by Kayaba. ;Kayaba Ka-1 :Imperial Japanese Army developed referring to KD-1A. Powered by a Argus As 10 engine, airframe that changed engine of prototype. ;Kayaba Ka-2 :Imperial Japanese Army developed, referring to KD-1A. Powered by a Jacobs L-4MA-7 engine, airframe that changed engine of Ka-1 for the same thing as prototype. Operators ; ; * Eastern Airlines * United States Army Air Forces Specifications (KD-1B) See also References ;Notes ;Bibliography * * * External links Category:United States military utility aircraft 1930–1939 Category:Autogyros KD-1 References Auto-Gyro Category:Vehicles